Centrally located call processing centers, or call centers, are a key part of emergency service response processes. Modern communication centers are becoming multimedia-capable and often service both analog and various forms of digital media interactions and transactions. In order to service a large public client base, state-of-the-art telecommunications equipment, software applications, and various dedicated servers are compiled and integrated with state-of-the-art software platforms.
In some settings, however, technology has not had such a dramatic impact. For example, an emergency call center (e.g., a 911 call center) typically has limited technological resources that it can draw upon to handle emergency calls. Some call centers may only include a telephone interface to handle incoming calls, a radio dispatch interface to alert the relevant authorities, and a call routing system to direct incoming calls to the appropriate operators. As another example, an appliance maintenance hotline may include a telephone interface to handle incoming calls, a technician that responds to the telephone calls, and a pre-generated service manual stored on a local machine that the technician may consult while handling the call.
E911 or 911 service involves providing call centers or public safety access points (PSAPs) that answer 911 calls and dispatch emergency personnel based on the calls. An important part of E911 service is identifying and dispatching the emergency personnel to the location of the emergency. In order to facilitate such identifying and dispatching, conventional public switched telephone network (PSTN) switches store and provide street address information to PSAPs for 911 calls.
In order for emergency personnel to be dispatched to the correct location, the Automated Number Information (ANI) and Automatic Location Information (ALI) data is used for identifying a communication device from which said incoming call originated. Thus, when a portable IP communications device is moved from one geographic location to another, the geographic location information in the service provider's database should be updated.
Thus, a need still remains for an emergency call system with distribution management. In view of the critical nature of emergency calls, it is increasingly critical that answers be found to these problems. In view of the ever-increasing commercial competitive pressures, along with growing consumer expectations and the diminishing opportunities for meaningful product differentiation in the marketplace, it is critical that answers be found for these problems. Additionally, the need to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and performance, and meet competitive pressures adds an even greater urgency to the critical necessity for finding answers to these problems.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.